Roller skate construction



March 1'7, 1970 D. w. TOONE ROLLER SKATE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. '7, 1968 8 3 M 2 UK 8 8 6 7 3 6 Kn 9 l 6 w l 9 R74 4 7 4 .V

FIG. 5.

E m M ATTORNEY March 17, 1970 D. w. TOONE 3,501,162

ROLLER SKATE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DEA/V W. TOO/V5 BYXMQ ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 28011.23 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A two-wheel skate has means for attaching each wheel to the shoe plate to provide for adjustability in the position of the wheel relative to the plate, for turning of the wheel and for variation in camber as the wheel turns. Adjustability of position varies the longitudinal and vertical position of the wheel axle relative to the shoe plate to accommodate for variations in weight of the skater and the type of skating performed. Turning of the wheel is confined about an upward-forward directed wheel turning axis, rather than a vertical axis. The weight of the skater is transmitted to the wheel through a pair of curved plates, the surfaces of which are in direct contact with each other, and the wheel axle. As the wheel is rotated about the wheel turning axis the axle of the wheel tips relatively to the horizontal, thus varying the degree of camber of the wheel which results in the turning or guidance action of the skate.

This invention relates to a new and improved roller skate construction. More particularly, the invention relates to the wheel and wheel support structure for a skate which is particularly suitable for both ordinary and professional skating. Principal objects of the invention are to provide a structure which will increase the speed and maneuverability of the skate so it can be used for all types of skating. Preferably, the skate has two wheels rather than the conventional four wheels.

A rubber tired wheel is utilized in the wheel bracket assembly which is provided adjacent each end of the skate. Each wheel is supported by a clevis, the top surface of which has a curved contact surface, the exact shape of which is hereinafter described. The clevis also has a pivot shaft which normally extends upwardly and either forwardly or rearwardly, depending whether the wheel assemblage is at front or rear of the skate. The pivot shaft is received in the upper curved contact plate which bears upon the top curved surface of the clevis assemblage. The curved surfaces are similar in configuration. The position of the upper contact plate relative to the shoe plate is adjustable so as to bring the clevis pivot shaft toward or away from vertical position and thus fix or determine the range of angles through which the wheel will be allowed to operate during skating operations.

Accordingly, a principal purpose of the present invention is to provide adjustment for a selected range of angles through which the wheels of the skate will be permitted to turn in relation to a horizontal plane. Such adjustment permits the skater to adjust his skate to the type of skating he desires, from speed skating to figure skating use, or the like. The adjustment is also desirable to compensate for different weights of skaters.

A further feature of the invention is the fact that each wheel turns about its clevis pivot shaft independently, thus providing wide maneuverability during skating. Resilient means are provided to bias the wheels to forward or neutral positions when the wheels are not in contact with the floor.

A further feature of the invention is the shape of the interfitting contact surfaces of the top of the clevis assembly and the lower surface of the upper contact plate. These surfaces fit together and are so curved that when the wheel turns about its pivot axis, the wheel axis also tilts relative to the horizontal and thus automatic provision is made for camber of the wheel when going around curves when used in skating operations.

Another feature of the invention is the pro-vision of tires preferably of rubber or rubber-like material on the wheels, the floor contacting surfaces of which are curved to facilitate turning and to reduce the area of contact and thus reduce friction. The tires are preferably connected to the wheels in such manner that the tires may be removed when worn or interchanged when the skates are used for different types of skating. Further, the wheels are readily interchangeable so that it is not necessary to remove the tires in order to adapt the skate to other uses.

The attachment of the rubber tire to the wheel is such that the construction is safe, easily interchanged, and resists the stresses imposed during skating operation which tend to separate the tire from the wheel.

The result of the improvements which have been mentioned and which are hereinafter described in detail is to improve the speed by reducing the frictional resistance to movement and at the same time to increase the maneuerability of the skate.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a skate in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a wheel and its supporting structure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view partially broken away in section of the structure of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 2.

The skate construction which is the subject of the present invention preferably has two wheels 11a and 11b, respectively, each of which is essentially the same in the wheel and wheel support construction and each of which is disposed approximately on the longitudinal center line of the skate plate 12. A shoe 13 is attached to the plate 12 and the location of the wheels is such that the front wheel is approximately below the ball of the foot and the rear wheel below the heel-To facilitate certain features of figure skating, a downward-forward directed pivoting attachment 14 may be affixed to the front of plate 12.

Since each wheel is essentially the same, only one will be described. Wheel 11 has an axle 16 which is normally horizontally-transversely disposed except when a turn is being negotiated. Disposed centrally of axle 16 is a circular flange 17, the outer edge of which is arcuately curved in a lip 18. The surface of disk 17 opposite that from which the lip 18 projects is formed with a shallow annular shoulder 19. Disposed in shoulder 19 is the inner edge of an annular disk 21. Also fitting in shoulder 19 is the inner edge of retaining ring 22, the outer edge of which is formed with an arcuate lip 23 which is similar but oppositely disposed with respect to lip 18. Retaining ring 23 and flange 17 are held together by bolts 24. Adjacent the periphery of disk 21 are outward projecting tangs 26 of curved configuration which are imbedded in the tire 27 which is preferably of rubber Or rubber-like construction. The outer edge 28 of tire 27 is curved so that the area of contact with the ground or floor is reduced and further the curved surface 28 facilitates negotiating turns while maintaining ground contact.

Axle 16 is supported by ball or roller bearing 31 on opposite sides of flange 17 and held in place by retainers 32. Bearings 31 are supported by a wheel clevis 36. Clevis 36 has a top member 37. The top surface 38 of member 37 has a curved configuration which is hereinafter described in greater detail and the shape of which forms one of the features of the present invention. Depending from top member 37 on one side of wheel 11 is a side 39, the lower end of which has an inwardly directed hub 41 in which one of the bearings 31 is received. The opposite side 42 of clevis 36 may be detachable from top portion 37 and held in place by fasteners 43 and the lower end is provided with an inwardly directed hub 44 similar to hub 41. The detachability of side 42 is to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the Wheel. Such operations are required to change wheels or to repair bearings. One of the features of the invention is the fact that the shape of the tire 27 may be changed depending upon the type of skating being done and, of course, it is occasionally necessary to replace the tires when they have worn. Where the same skates are used for different purposes consecutively, the wheels 11 may be interchanged for those of different tire configuration without changing the tires themselves.

The top member 37 of the clevis 36 is formed with an upwardly-forwardly directed pivot shaft 46 which is preferably splined or noncircular. Pivot shaft 46 extends through hub 47 in upper contact plate 48. Plate 48 on its undersurface 49 has a curved shape which is complementary to surface 38. Surfaces 38 and 49 are in contact throughout most of their areas. The top of plate 48 is formed with a recess 51. Within depression 51 and connected to pivot shaft 46 in nonrotatable relation is hub 52 from which projects lever 53. A pair of resilient members 54 bear against opposite sides of lever 53 and tend to hold the wheel 11 in alignment in a forward direction. However, when it is necessary to turn the Wheels 11, one of the members 54 compresses and the other stretches. The ends of members 54 opposite lever 53 are supported by blocks '56 on contact plate 48. A retainer 57 holds hub 52 on shaft 46.

Turning of wheel 11 around the axis of pivot shaft 46 facilitates maneuverability of the skate. The configuration of surfaces 38 and 49 further facilitate such maneuverability. As viewed in side elevation in FIG. 2, surfaces 38 and 49 are circular arcs. In transverse crosssection (FIGS. 4 and the surfaces are arcuate but the radius of curvature continuously varies from a maximum curvature at the zone of pivot shaft 46 to a minimum at the outer edge. Directing attention first to FIG. 2, reference number 61 designates the axis of pivot shaft 46 which is perpendicular and passes through the center of the axis of axle 16. Radius R is the distance from axis 61 to the center of the line of intersection of surfaces 38 and 49. On the other hand, the radius R is the perpendicular distance from axis 61 to the zone of intersection of surfaces 38 and 49 at section 5-5. Directing attention now to FIG. 4, radius R, is of a length equal to the distance R in FIG. 2. Directing attention to FIG. 5, the radius R is equal to the length of R in FIG. 2. From this it is clear that the transverse curvature of surfaces 38 and 49 is continuously varying and is symmetrical around the vertical central plane of the wheel. Further directing attention to FIG. 3, when wheel 11 turns, axle axis 62 turns around the axis of pivot shaft 46 and in so doing also tilts relative to the horizontal. The curvature of surfaces 49 and 38 accommodates such tilting and insures that there is positive contact of members 37 and 48 regardless of the direction in which wheels 11 are p in ed. As he x s 62 tilt camber of the wheel is automatically adjusted, thereby enhancing speed and maneuverability of the skate.

The position of contact plate 48 relative to shoe plate 12 is also preferably adjustable. The underside of shoe plate 12 is formed with a pair of outwardly facing channels 66 secured thereto equidistant of the longitudinal centerline of plate 12. Projecting above one side of contact plate 48 is a vertical leg 67 formed at its upper edge with an inward facing channel 68 which interfits with one of the channels 66. On the other side, contact plate 48 is provided with a vertical leg 69. On the outside of leg 69 is a separate member having a vertical leg 71 parallel to member 69 and having at its upper edge an inward facing channel 72. A plurality of bolts 73 pass through holes in vertical members 67, 69 and 71. By tightening nut 74, the plate 38 may be clamped in any position of adjustment. Since the channels 66 are circular arcs in side elevation as viewed in FIG. 2, with the center of curvature on axle 16 when the plate 38 is clamped so that pivot shaft 46 is at or near vertical, the degree or amplitude of camber which the wheel can achieve by tilting of its axle 16 about the horizontal is maximum. On the other hand, when plate 38 is adjusted so that pivot shaft is about horizontal, then the amplitude of wheel camber which can occur on turns by tilting of axle 16 is slight or nonexistent. Thus for fancy figure skating, maximum camber is desired and shaft 46 is vertical. For speed skating, minimum camber is desired. It will be understood that where by reason of manufacturing cost or other preference, camber adjustment is not desired, the adjustability of plate 38 is omitted.

What is claimed is:

1. A roller skate construction comprising a shoe plate, a wheel, an axle for said wheel, an axle support rotatably supporting opposite ends of said axle with said wheel between said ends, said axle support having a top member above said axle, a pivot shaft extending up from said top member, a contact plate bearing on said top member, means mounting said pivot shaft in said contact plate for oscillatory movement of said axle support about the axis of said pivot shaft, resilient means biasing said axle support to a neutral position with said axle transversely disposed relative to said skate, -and attachment means connecting said contact plate to said shoe plate, at least portions of the top of said top member and the bottom of said contact plate having mutually engaging curved surfaces, said curved surfaces in side elevation being circular arcs about the axis of said axle as a center and said curved surfaces in transverse sections being arcs of varying radii of curvature, the radius of curvature at any point being equal to the distance between the axis of said pivot shaft and said point.

.2. A construction according to claim 1, in which said attachment means comprises a first arcuate member fixed to said contact plate, a second arcuate member fixed to said shoe plate, and means for fixing said arcuate members together in a plurality of positions of adjustment, said arcuate members having their common centers of curvature on said axle.

3. A construction according to claim 2, in which said first arcuate member comprises a pair of inwardly facing channels, one said channel movable, said second arcuate member received between said channels.

4. A construction according to claim 1, in which said axle support comprises a first side fixed to and depending from said top member, and a second side detachably connected to said top member, the lower ends of said sides having hearings in which said shaft is journalled, said second side removable from said top member to permit disassembly of said wheel from said axle support.

5. A construction according to claim 1, in which said wheel has a flange projecting radially relative to said axle and a rubber-like annular tire fixed to the peripheral p tion of said flange.

6. A construction according to claim 5, in which the outer edge of said tire is curved.

7. A construction according to claim 6, in which said flange is formed with tangs imbedded in said tire.

8. A construction according to claim 5, which further comprises a hub for said axle and means for detachably securing said flange to said hub.

9. A roller skate wheel construction comprising a wheel, an axle for said wheel having a peripheral flange, an annular disk overlapping said flange and projecting radially relative to said axle and formed with tangs curved outwardly of the plane of said disk, a rubber like, annular tire fixed to the peripheral portion of said disk, said tangs imbedded in said tire, and fastening means fastening said disk to said flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS US. Cl. X.R. 

